


Crossed Lines

by Jena Bartley (jenab)



Category: The Last Ship (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 00:32:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14726579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenab/pseuds/Jena%20Bartley
Summary: Tom could forgive Rachel’s actions but he could never understand them until now





	Crossed Lines

**Author's Note:**

> Diverges from canon in the last few scenes in the third season finale.

Officially, Tom was on extended leave, taking time to grieve for his father and to deal with the recent events. He’d been told by the new President to take as much time as he need as his job would still be there when he returned. 

Privately Tom didn’t know if he could go back and don the uniform again. He’d come so very close to crossing a line he never thought he ever would. 

He’d almost pulled the trigger. His finger had been tightening on the trigger when Tom had heard Tex’s soft moan of pain. It was the only thing that stopped him from killing Shaw.

He’d thought Tex had been dead, yet another person he’d cared about lost to him. Just like Darien and his father. Like Rachel. Like so many of his crew. 

It was only the knowledge of Tex still being alive that stopped him from committing murder. 

Tom had berated Rachel for doing the exact same thing over a year ago, not understanding how someone like her, with her passion and dedication to saving the human race, could willing take another’s life. 

Niels Sorenson was human scum from how he had weaponized the virus to helping the Immunes infect others to his resistance in helping Rachel find a way to distribute the cure. Sorenson deserved to stand trial for all that he’d done but Tom couldn’t understand how Rachel could do what she’d done. 

Now he knew what she’d felt in those moments and what drove her to that edge.

He wanted to sit down with her over a cup of tea, to talk about how she’d come to terms with her decision to take a life. He wanted to apologize for his lack of understanding and support when she needed it most instead of platitudes about how Sorenson would face justice. 

Except Rachel was dead and Tom couldn’t offer his apologies. 

Instead he was left to try and find his own way to acceptance of his decision to cross a line he never though he would. 

All the while feeling the ache of Rachel’s death more keenly than ever before.


End file.
